


Somebody Told Me

by twelvemorestopsandhome



Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: F/M, modernau
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-07
Updated: 2014-01-17
Packaged: 2018-01-07 21:20:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1124527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twelvemorestopsandhome/pseuds/twelvemorestopsandhome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Richard is very confused after Anne starts dating the goth, Edward Lancaster.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the talented Alessandra’s ModernAU gifset on tumblr.
> 
> Shouldn't be longer than 3 or 4 chapters.

“She's not here” Isabelle drawls, eyes twinkling with mischief.

 

“What's that?” Richard turns to her slowly, eyebrows high in question.

 

“Anne. She's not here so you can stop trying to casually glance about the place”

 

“I have no idea what the hell you are on about, Isabelle” Richard shakes his head, fighting the urge to turn back from her once more to get a better view of the rest of the cafe

 

“Sure” she smirks, nestling her body back against George who in turn wraps an arm around her.

 

“Don't tease him, Iz” George smiles indulgently at his girlfriend, giving his little brother the briefest of uninterested looks before returning to his newspaper.

 

The were inseparable once, the four of them. Well, five including Edward but he was the first to leave their little group. Growing up and getting married and becoming oh so important to the rest of the country.

 

When they were all attending the same school, before George and Isabelle graduated, they would come down to The White Rose for a pot of tea and Anne and Richard would split a bacon sandwich (“We can afford one for each of you, you know?”) and waste away an hour or so before returning to their “head-wrecking” families.

 

One day, not long before they both finished school, George and Isabelle had decided they were a couple. The dynamic shifted and tea become more like intruding on a date for Anne and Richard until eventually it was wittled down to a once a week thing (“We're in uni now, you understand, we don't have time for sitting around” Isabel had offered as an excuse.)

 

Anne and Richard never really spent time together in school to begin with but now he was lucky to get a wave in the corridor.

 

“Where is she then?” he asks Isabelle when he returns from ordering another pot for the table.

 

“With Edward Lancaster, you know her boyfriend, I should imagine.” she shrugs.

 

“That's new.” Richard says dumbly.

 

“Oh my god” George throws his newspaper. “ _That's new._ That's your reaction? I was hoping for a flipped table at least”

 

“I was sure someone was going to get burned.” Isabelle makes a disappointed face.

 

“Why would I be knocking over tables?”

 

*

 

He invites himself over to the Neville house one evening where he is welcomed in like a son and instructed to head up to Anne's room if he wants to speak to her.

 

She is dressed in a sea of black, her eyes heavily accentuated with copious amounts of eyeliner. She's completely breathtaking.

 

“It suits you” he smiles, hovering awkwardly by the door even though she had welcomed him further in.

 

“Shut up” she rolls her eyes, swivelling in her chair to face him.

 

“No, it does”

 

“Costs a fortune in eyeliner” she says with a dramatic sigh.

 

“Can't borrow your boyfriends?” He can't help himself.

 

“He's very possessive of his eyeliner” she replies not missing beat.

 

“We miss seeing you at school” he admits finally sitting down on the edge of her bed across from her

 

“We?”

 

“yeah, you know me...” he paused “eh and Francis?”

 

“Frankie?”

 

“Okay he doesn't miss you calling him that”

 

“Richard...” Anne starts, her voice much more warier than before “we're not friends so this this is some sort of-”

 

“Ouch” he clutches his heart.

 

“You know what I mean” Anne continued “we used to be but it's not like we hang out at school or even outside of it”

 

He can't argue with that. “Here's the thing though Anne” he says slowly and with a deep breath “I'm in love with you.”

 

“Jesus Christ, Richard.” Anne makes an indistinguishable face “where did _that_ come from?”

 

“Eh...” he's panicking now. He didn't really think about what her reaction would be. He was so distressed at not knowing in the first place, he forgot to factor in that Anne mightn't know either. “Isabelle told me I did.”

 

“Oh well it definitely must be true so.” Anne concedes sarcastically.

 

“I'm so confused.” Richard puts his head in his hands before raising it again “So I don't love you?”

 

“I don't know!” Anne waves her hands in front of her as if dismissing this emotional baggage Richard was attempting to unload.

 

Richard is pacing around the room now. “This is so embarrassing. I'm just going to leave. I am so sorry, Anne.”

 

She laughs “Why are you apologising? That was a wonderful thing to hear, I'm just pretty sure you're not actually in love with me.”

 

He makes a pained face and offers a non-committal “Yeah” He can't even begin to understand what just happened.

 

“Why don't you stay for dinner? Mum and Dad would love to have you!” she takes his arm and pulls him gently from her room.

 

“And then we'll kill Izzy”  


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the feedback so far! It's a nice change of pace to write these two in a lighter tone!

Isabelle only rolls her eyes and mutters _“hopeless”_ when they confront her after dinner but neither of them fancy pursing it any further. Something Richard in particular, is thankful for.

 

They make a vague plan for tea soon.

 

“I don't know what kind of sick game you were playing but I'm pretty sure Richard now has PTSD from telling me he's in love with me!” Anne thunders into Isabelle's room causing her sister's body to jump violently.

 

“Shit, you scared me! I thought Mrs. Lovett was coming for me.”

 

“Izzy” Anne whines, throwing herself down on her sister's bed. “Why?”

 

“Because he does and he _knows_ it otherwise he wouldn't have told you and you just fucked it up by confusing the poor boy.” Isabelle explains calmly.

 

“Oh yes, let's blame the woman shall we!?”

 

“Annie, calm down” Isabelle whispers, laying beside her sister.

 

“He told me he was in love with me, Iz” Anne breathe shudders “and it made me feel something that I should not feel when I have a boyfriend. But that's normal right? Of course, I'm going to feel _something_ if I'm told that.”

 

Isabelle doesn't say anything to that, she simply takes her sister's hand in hers.

 

 

*

 

Edward and his new wife Liz are there when Richard arrives home that evening. His older brother has a habit of filling the entire house with his charm and pulling any attention toward himself. Tonight, it plays in Richard's favour as he slips in quietly and largely unnoticed. Save for Edward himself who is standing in the hallway, mobile pressed to his ear, bouncing up and down on his feet, He winks playfully at his younger brother when Richard makes a beeline for the stairs.

 

“You okay, mate?” Edward whispers, covering the phone with his hand, “you look a bit pale.”

 

“Just a lot going on” Richard says quickly with a shrug. He could tell his brother. George probably already knows so it's only a matter of time before Edward finds out but he's not sure he'll ever be able to say it outloud. _I'm such a fucking idiot._

 

“Why don't you come down to see Liz and the baby?” Edward suggests and his eyes brighten tenfold.

 

“I will” Richard agrees “I'll just drop my bag upstairs.”

 

Edward goes back to his phonecall and Richard pulls out his own phone and stares at the screen as he walks to his room.

 

**To: Anne N**

Thanks again for dinner. And sorry again for all that. Tea, thursday? My shout! We can be friends again :)

_Sent._

 

**To: Anne N**

now I need to add that smiley face to things I'm embarrassed about

 

_Sent._

 

The reply comes seconds later.

 

**From: Anne N**

I think that smiley should be top of the list! See you thursday, friend.

 

It's hard to ignore that reassuring feel that rushes through him at knowing when he'll see her next but he does his best.

 

 

*

 

Anne drags Ed along to tea. She doesn't allow herself to think why she does. She makes the introductions even though they already know each other. Or at least know of each other. Their families are intwined in complicated ways. The threat of Ed's mother, Marguerite was even used as scare tactic to get Richard and his brothers to bed when they were young.

 

Anne's boyfriend is quiet but polite. He doesn't seem to the monster the playground stories have made him out to me.

 

Richard wants to tear him limb from limb. Or at least knock over a few tables.

 

“He doesn't like me” he tells Anne when they are paying at the till.

 

“Because you're in love with me?” It just slips out.

 

“Too soon” Richard smirks even as he feels his entire body blush. He's not sure it's embarrassment this time.

 

“Well, I am very lovable.” Anne nudges him playfully, ignoring the tension in her chest.

 

And then it kind of becomes a thing.

 

**_From: Anne N_ **

_you the know the way you're in love with me...? Can I borrow your bio notes tomorrow please?_

_“So I know I'm in love with you but there is no way you are getting the bigger half”_

_“Could you give me a spin to the train station because you-”_

_“I'm in love with you?”_

_“That's the one!”_

 

Both of them ignore the fact that they are going out of their way to mention the love thing in inappropriate situations including in front of their confused parents.

It's their thing now and a way to control that _feeling_ they get when the other says it.

 

Anne doesn't notice when Ed tells her that her loves her for the first time.

 

Richard stops saying it the same week George and Isabelle get engaged.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearly there now! Thanks for sticking with it despite the...so wait...do they actually love each other?

“You look like a child bride.” Anne doesn't mean to sound cruel as her sister emerges from the dressing room.

 

“You look like the bride of Frankenstein” Isabelle snaps back, eying Anne's deep purple gown.

 

Anne can't help but laugh. Touche. “You should have applied for Don't Tell the Bride and then George would have had to deal with all this.”

 

“Could you imagine the three bloody sons of York planning a wedding?”

 

(Three Sons of York – a very short lived band the brothers had started many years before.)

 

“Edward would probably be quite good at it, actually” Isabelle mutters as an afterthought.

 

“Oh you should get them to perform at the wedding! They'd probably give you a good rate.” Anne suggests with a wink.

 

“I would pay good money to see that!” Isabelle admits twisting in the mirror “but you're right, I look like I'm about to be sacrificed to the gods.”

 

**To Richard**

slow progress here. How are you lot getting on?

 

**From Richard**

I think Edward missed his true calling as a wedding planner

 

The reply is almost instant.

 

**To Richard**

we should hire him for *our* wedding.

 

Nothing. Five minutes pass

 

**To Richard**

you know...cause you're in love with me?

 

Another four

 

**To Richard**

...I'm joking obviously. eh...either you're suddenly really busying in which case I seem really paranoid or you're ignoring me in which case...I'm sorry I made you comfortable? This is weird.

 

Thirty seconds later.

 

**From Richard**

I made it weird. Sorry. See you later :)

 

**From Richard**

damn smiley

 

*

 

He doesn't see her later.

 

She doesn't show up at The White Rose even though the plan was always to meet there after the respective fittings.

 

“The one time I'm here and Anne doesn't come!” Edward scoffs, and it's difficult to tell if he is mocking or truly offended.

 

“Off with Lancaster, I presume.” Richard shrugs, feeding heap upon heap of sugar into his cup.

 

“You missed your chance there, pal.” Edward says softly, grabbing the spoon off him.

 

George and Isabelle make simultaneous awkward faces and someone whispers “Don't”

 

“I'm sorry” Edward wasn't sorry at all “but I still can't really believe you too are together” he wiggles his fingers between the engaged couple. “but you and Anne?” he turns to Richard and allows the implication to hang in the air.

 

“It's complicated” Richard whispers in lieu of any decent explanation. How can he explain anything when he can't understand it himself. How can he explain his feelings when even thinking about Anne makes him feel like a fool in the greatest and worst ways.

 

*

 

In the weeks leading up to the wedding, it's impossible for Richard to get Anne on her own, besides the fact it's all hands on deck in both families and Richard and Anne have their A-levels to complete, Richard isn't sure Anne wants him to get her on her own. They still spend time together but never, at least it seemed to Richard, without someone else be it Isabelle or Francis or even Ed.

 

By the time fate (Mrs Neville) intervenes and asks (orders) the two of them to pick up the altered suits and dresses from the dressmaker, Richard is fit to burst and it all comes rushing out in the Neville's empty kitchen.

 

“I stopped saying I'm in love with you because George and Isabelle are getting married. Because Edward is a father. Because it's not fair for me to tell you that I'm in love with you like it's some sort of joke when it means something to the people around us” he is frantic now, wanting her to understand where he is going with this-

 

“I'm going to France for my gap year.” Anne blurts out, eyes unblinking.

 

“That's eh” Richard is taken aback. He wasn't expecting that. Didn't she know what he was getting at. He had just started talking the second she let him in the door. Or maybe she did and it was her kind of way of letting him know not to say what he was about to. Save him the embarrassment. “That's great, you'll have a wonderful time.”

 

“I'm leaving a few days after the wedding” she continues, saying words to fill the space between them. “Ferry to Calais and take it from there, you know?”

 

“And Ed? He's going with you.” Richard already knows the answer.

 

“Yeah”

 

“Great”

 

“And listen, all that love stuff?” Anne forces a light tone “it was kinda screwed up of us to talk like that anyway? And you're completely right it was a little...disrespectful or something so...”

 

“Really screwed up” Richard repeats as Anne grabs her car keys and tilts her head to the driveway.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that's it! Bit of fluff and silliness really but it was a pleasure to write!

True to her word, Anne leaves for France less than a week after Isabelle and George's wedding.

 

It wasn't the wedding to end all weddings, despite what the social pages would have you believe. People cried, people got drunk, couples snuck off for a quickie. An age old dispute reared it's ugly head and some questionable music was played. But most importantly two people exchanged vows to forsake all others in favour of one another.

 

*

 

Richard starts at the University of Westminster following a summer spent mostly with Francis and getting secondhand information on Anne from Isabelle. (He hardly ever checks her Instagram or Twitter...)

 

It's early November when there's a knock on the front door and Richard swings it open to find Anne wrapped up in a large black poncho, swamping her tiny frame, eyes as heavily lined with eyeliner as always and a small smile on her face. And shit, had it really been five months?

 

“Hi”

 

“Hi” he breathes and just stares until she her eyes pass his into the hallway behind him.

 

“Sorry, come in.” he shakes his head at himself

 

“Thanks” She presses her body against his, as he moves to the side, in a hug that he hadn't really been expecting before continuing to the kitchen.

 

“So you're home then.”

 

“Well spotted” Anne answers with a wink, hitting the on button on the kettle.

 

“It's good to see you.” he admits because it's true.

 

“You too” she smiles broadly, seemingly relieved at his words.

 

“So, did Ed come back as well?” he asks because he can't not. It only kind of ruins the moment.

 

She throws her eyes to him, regarding him with a look he can't quite figure out. “No, he didn't” she finally answers. “any biscuits?”

 

Richard grabs some chocolate digestives from the overhead cupboard and begins to unwrap them as Anne brings the tea pot to the table followed by two cups and milk.

 

“We broke up three days into the trip” Anne explains once they've settled. “He mentioned getting engaged and I realised that I could think of nothing I wanted less than to spend my life with him so that sort of put a damper on the relationship.”

 

“I can imagine” Richard nods slowly.

 

“But I wasn't going to come home because of that so he stayed with his family in Calais and I carried on” she explains, dunking the biscuit into her cup. “But I wanted to pop back to see Iz because I don't know if I'll be able to when the baby comes.”

 

“How is she?” Richard asks. He sees her often of course, she is is sister-in-law, but it's the polite thing to ask.

 

“She's well” Anne nods “A little overwhelmed, they didn't plan on having kids just yet but I think she's up to the job. They both are.”

 

“Strange to think that we'll share a niece or nephew.” Richard muses, like it's the first time it has dawned on him.

 

“It'll be up to us to corrupt the little one.” Anne smiles mischievously.

 

“I'm pretty sure everyone in both our families is capable of utter corruption,” Richard teases “the child doesn't stand a chance.”

 

Silence naturally follows for a beat.

 

“I missed you” Anne admits and Richard opens his mouth to repeat her words back to her but she continues “because, you know, I'm in love with you.” and it's the first time it's been said in reverse. It doesn't sounds like a joke. Richard should be shocked, should swear in disbelief like Anne had done all those months ago but he doesn't.

 

“I'm in love with you too” Richard responds, his voice as steady as hers.

 

“Well alright then” she whispers, running her thumb along the rim of the cup “good”

 

“It was never a joke.” he continues “and I think we both knew that all along.”

 

“Just don't stop saying it this time.” Anne tells him, pointed a teaspoon across the table at him in emphasis

 

“I'll never stop saying it” he promises.

 

*

 

They wait until Anne has returned permanently from France to bring Maggie to The White Rose for the first time. George puts a drop of tea into her milk bottle and Isabelle pretends not to notice. Richard and Anne share a bacon sandwich and he gives her the bigger half.


End file.
